The Galette de Rois or Three Kings Cake is a French dessert traditionally served on January 6th for Epiphany, the day that concludes the Christmas holidays. The recipe is very simple, though it requires following the resting times to achieve a filling with perfect consistency, and it is composed of two layers of puff pastry filled with frangipane cream to which a portion of pastry cream is added.
The Three Kings Cake is a dessert served all across France, with a unique feature of hiding a whole almond or a small surprise (usually representing a character and can be made of plastic, porcelain, or sugar) inside the cream; whoever finds it becomes the King or Queen for the day and can give orders to the entire family.
The Galette de Rois is an ancient dessert, traces of which can be found as far back as Roman times, when the surprise inside was a fresh bean symbolizing fertility and the expectation of spring. Over time, it was replaced with a small gift for children, such as a toy car, a small animal, or a character.
The recipe I share with you today is quick, as it does not include making puff pastry from scratch, although it would certainly enhance the flavor. For the simple version, I used ready-made puff pastry filled traditionally with frangipane cream.
Here are some recipes to try for Epiphany and include in the stocking:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 8People
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: French
- Seasonality: Epiphany
Ingredients
- 2 rolls puff pastry (round)
- 3 oz butter (soft)
- 3 oz almond flour
- 3 oz powdered sugar
- 0.7 oz all-purpose flour
- 1 egg (medium)
- 6 drops almond essence
- 0.5 cup milk
- 1.2 oz egg yolks
- 1.2 oz sugar
- 0.35 oz cornstarch
- Half teaspoon vanilla extract
- lemon zest (2 strips from an organic lemon to be removed)
- 1 egg (medium for brushing the surface)
- 1 almond (with skin)
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Scale
- 1 Electric whisk
- 1 Piping bag
- 1 Baking tray
- Parchment paper
- 1 Hand whisk
- 1 Small pan
Procedure
I usually prepare the pastry cream in the microwave, but you can easily make it in a small pan.
In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with sugar without beating them.
Add the starches, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Mix well with the whisk to avoid lumps. Gradually add the cold milk and transfer to a small pan. Thicken it, then transfer it to a small bowl with plastic wrap touching the surface.Let it cool completely.
If you have time, you can also prepare it the day before.
Use the whisk to beat the butter and sugar (at room temperature) until you get a fluffy, well-mixed mixture. Break the egg into a bowl and beat it with a fork.
Slowly add the beaten egg, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
Mix in the almond extract and flours gently.Once the pastry cream has cooled, gently incorporate it into the frangipane cream. Place it in a piping bag and refrigerate for 10/15 minutes.
Unroll the first circle of puff pastry on the baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Spread the frangipane cream in the center of the puff pastry, forming a 9-inch disc. Level it with the back of a knife and place an almond in the cream. Cut off excess, leaving a 3/4-inch border (you can use a plate to guide you).
Brush the outer edge with beaten egg.
Cover with the second disc of pastry and seal the edges well by pressing slightly.
Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Use a toothpick to create small indentations around the edge of the puff pastry to create a lace pattern.
Brush the entire surface with beaten egg and make 5 small holes on the surface to prevent the puff pastry from puffing up during baking.
Refrigerate again for 10 minutes.
Use the back of a knife to create the classic Galette de Rois pattern, gently scoring the surface without cutting it.
Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.Preheat the oven to 390°F in static mode.
Place the baking tray on the lowest shelf and bake the cake for 10 minutes.
Lower the temperature to 365°F and continue baking for another 30 minutes or until golden.
Remove the Galette de Rois from the oven and let it cool completely before serving.
Advice
Storage
The Galette de Rois can be stored at room temperature for 2 days in the appropriate cake container, but the puff pastry will lose some of its crispiness.
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